During the recently concluded India Pakistan Peace March from Delhi to Multan when we got a chance to interact with a number of common people of both sides of the border in meetings as well as on road, we were overwhelmed by the popular yearning of citizens of both countries for a more transparent border between the two countries.

58 years of official enmity has not been able to weaken the emotional bonding between people of India and Pakistan, as has been witnessed in recent times even during the cricket matches hosted by both the countries, when common people went out of their way to host their estranged brethrens & came back with experiences which helped in healing painful memories & washed away years of built-up prejudices.

That both the governments are keen on sustaining talks and less reluctant about taking bold initiatives is apparent by their determination to commence and continue the Srinagar -Muzaffarabad bus service. This is the opportune moment then to galvanise the peace process by debating & discussing the possibility of a Visa Free Borders in the nearest future. We believe that the idea of the “borderless” domain as suggested by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself in the context of Kashmir, should be extended to the whole of South Asia, making borders and its whole paraphernalia redundant.

The peace process and dialogue in South Asia cannot attain fruition till it includes disarmament in its agenda. As a first step, a pledge and commitment to a Nuclear Free South Asia can alone ensure a more secure and therefore more peaceful South Asia. In this direction we welcome the recent proposal by President Musharraf for creating and Nuclear Weapon Free South Asia. We view with alarming suspicion the talks about India and Pakistan buying F-16s & F-18s and the recent defence pact between India and America.

We would like this convention to be a space amongst policy makers and policy drivers, legislators, academics and activists to dialogue the direction of the ongoing peace process and the various possibilities therein.

On 9th August, Nagasaki Day activists from India and Pakistan will hold a day long joint fast at Mahatma Gandhi’s samadhi at Rajghat, New Delhi to press for a Borderless and Nuclear Free South Asia.

On 14th August people of India and Pakistan will light candles on both sides of the Munabao-Khokrapar border.

Coalition for Nulcear Disarmament and Peace, Pakistan Peace Coalition, National Alliance of People’s Movements, South Asia Partnership (Pakistan), Akhil Bhartiya Rachnatmak Samaj, Pakistan Social Forum, Association of People of Asia, Pakistan Institute for Labour Education and Research (PILER), Hind Pak Dosti Manch, Anjuman-e-Asia-e-Awam, Insaf, Popular Education and Action Centre (PEACE), Asha

Contact: Insaf, A-124/6, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi-110016. Tel: 91-11-26517814, 91-11- 55663958,
Monica Wahi (91-931201958), Faisal Khan (91-9313106745)
ashaashram@yahoo.com, monicawahi@rediffmail.com, faisalkj2002@yahoo.co.in

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